


All Pretence

by percyinpanties



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Pain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-04-04 05:46:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14013477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/percyinpanties/pseuds/percyinpanties
Summary: Jason’s a famous athlete/actor/whatever who got outed by the paparazzi constantly up in his face. His manager hires Percy for damage control - and to make it look like Jason is in an actual serious relationship rather than just sleeping around.





	All Pretence

**Author's Note:**

> i know fuck all about publicity stunts and press and you can tell in this :) kind of want to write a proper fic for this, since what you’re gonna read down there is a mess with little plot and a lot of rambling but alas. i always feel guilty picking up new wips given the state of my current wips….

 

 

There is certainly something to be said about how easy it is for Jason to pull Percy against his side like this, to press a kiss to Percy’s temple as cameras flash around them. Percy doesn’t look bothered, smiles politely at the press and even answers a few of the questions thrown their way – he isn’t new to this, of course, but Jason still finds it strange to see this public Percy in place of his own, private version. It’s a strange thought to have, as if anything about Percy had ever been his – or ever would be after this mess, and Jason tries to shake it before the thought can take root.

As they finally manage to push through the crowd and into the restaurant, part of Jason still cannot believe Percy agreed to this, and how easy it was to convince him in the first place. Had it been the other way around, Jason isn’t sure he’d have gone along with it so willingly. Then again, it wouldn’t be a lack of companionship on Jason’s part that’d make him hesitate, but an excess of it. Jason is sure Percy doesn’t have that kind of problem, not when it comes to Jason  – but now is not the moment to mull over it.

 

“That went well.” Percy says quietly, leaning lightly into Jason’s touch as they step through the door.

 

Jason doesn’t answer right away, instead reaches to take off Percy’s jacket and hang it up with his own.  His hands linger on Percy’s shoulder a moment to long, but Percy doesn’t shrug them off. They’re not out of view yet, probably won’t be for most of the night, but either way Jason is selfishly enjoying it a little too much to let go of the act just yet.

 

“It did.” Jason agrees finally. Nothing about this is going well, if Jason personally is concerned, but regarding what Jason’s manager hired Percy for, they’re doing pretty well.

 

He’s turning back toward Percy, who gives him a gentle smile and smoothly steps back into Jason’s space to lean against his side as a waiter approaches them. Being close feels natural, and Jason hates it as much as he loves it. There are a lot of ways Jason has wished for this to happen, but this – this _false pretence_ , it isn’t one of them. This is going to tear him apart, Jason knows it, and worse: it’s going to ruin what is left of his and Percy’s friendship.

 

The restaurant isn’t empty, although there are suspiciously few people for a Friday evening, especially in a place as popular as this, and Jason wouldn’t be surprised if he found out that his manager had something to do with that. It was him who had set this _thing_ with Percy up in the first place, after all, a desperate attempt at controlling the damage after Jason’s unplanned outing. There is little Jason thinks that man wouldn’t do, and it leaves him with an uneasy feeling.

 

“Relax.” Percy says quietly, half turned toward Jason who just flinched at another flash going off from the windows. The waiter glares toward the paparazzi, although it's doubtful he can actually see the culprit.

“It's just the two of us having dinner, okay?” Percy whispers, and it sounds like he believes it too.

 

Something inside Jason breaks a little at that, but he swallows down the feeling as best as he can. Jason turns his head to meet Percy's gaze, green eyes regarding him soft and affectionate. For a second, Jason almost wants to believe this really is just them on a date, not a stunt for the sake of his ruined public image.

Percy rests a hand on Jason's arm, a gentle squeeze when Jason gives no answer, then trails it down to find Jason's hand and links their fingers together while they walk to their seats. It's a fancy place, no doubt about that, a candle already lit at the table, and a cooler for champagne by its side. Normally, this isn't where either Percy or Jason would be seen, not that it wasn't within their budget, but certainly not their style. The last time they really hung out, it was at a drive through theatre after grabbing terrible take-out from a close-by diner. That’s months ago now though, and the distance of the memory sends a pang through Jason’s chest.

 

Percy only let's go of Jason's hand when they take their seats and even then, he manages to make it look reluctant. They don't have to play it up like this, not now that they're mostly out of the press’s eyes, but Percy seems to see no point in stopping now. He’s all soft smiles and little touches, quiet talking over shared foot, reaching out to ghost his fingers over the back of Jason’s hand across the table. It’s too intimate, and it makes Jason ache inside, but at least anyone still watching will believe their lie.

Despite his aching heart, the dinner is... _nice_ , in a strange way. Jason manages to relax into it, almost forgets what this is about in between. For a moment there, it’s almost like it used to be when they hung out more regularly – before Jason caught feelings and pulled away in fear of ruining what they had. It didn’t help, of course it didn’t, but if Percy ever noticed he never said anything.

 

“I missed this.” Percy says, eyes raising from their shared cake up to meet Jason’s cake. “Feels like we haven’t done this in ages.”

 

Jason has to stop himself from pointing out that technically, they’ve never done _this_ before, but he bites his tongue to keep the words in. It won’t help to be cynical, and it might open doors to conversations Jason is nowhere near ready to have.

 

“Guess we’ve been really busy recently.” Jason muses quietly, and it’s such a blatant lie that he’s sure Percy must see right through it.

There’s a raised eyebrow, but Percy doesn’t call him out on his bad lying. Instead, Percy grins. It stretches slowly across his face, usually the kind of expression Percy wears when he is up to something. Jason doesn’t like it at all, not now when he’s so apparently transparent and every little gesture makes his heart skip a beat.

 

“At least, this time, you won’t get away from me anytime soon.” He says finally, steals another piece of cake with his fork and even with his mouth closed he looks _cheeky_. Jason has no idea what he is supposed to reply. This is the first time Percy has even let on he knows Jason has been avoiding him before, and there is little Jason can say without acknowledging that fact.

 

Luckily, Jason is saved by the waiter coming by to check on their table, topping up their wine and promising to come back with the check in time. Jason eyes his glass with distrust. He isn’t much of a drinker, never has been, and he can already feel the first effects from what they had before. Percy’s cheeks are a shade pinker than they ought to be too, and Jason fears he doesn’t look much better himself.

 

“We should probably call a cab.” Jason says, watching the waiter leave so he has an excuse not to look at Percy just yet. It’s getting harder, the longer they’re sitting here, to stick to acting in place of letting his actual feelings shine through.

 

“Your place or mine?” Percy asks, already fishing his phone out from under the table, watching innocently while Jason flushed dark at the suggestion behind the words. They can’t be seen going to separate homes tonight, but Jason’s solution had been to not get caught leaving rather than just staying over at either of their places.

 

“I… I don’t mind either.” He manages, his tone just a little off, but if Percy follows the turn Jason’s thoughts have threatened to take, he doesn’t let it on. Jason has a guest bedroom, Percy doesn’t, but Jason isn’t sure mentioning that will make this easier. This will be awkward either way, Jason dreads it already, but there is nothing he can do about it now.

 

Percy hesitates a second, then dials a number and brings his phone to his ear. Jason watches him make the call, listens to him give Jason’s address to the operator, and tries not to feel relief.

 

“You’re tense.” Percy says quietly when he hangs up, and for no reason Jason can discern, reaches over the table to take Jason’s hand in his. There’s no one watching, or at least none that Jason can see, and they are _not_ a couple, regardless of what their act suggests. “What’s going on?”

 

“I know they’re going to follow us.” Jason says, and this time he almost believes his own lie. It’s not the reason he is so on edge, and maybe Percy knows it too, but regardless the press isn’t helping the situation. “I just… I hate it. The only reason we’re even here is because they can’t leave me alone for five fucking minutes.”

 

It’s a strange outburst of anger, evident in Jason’s tone even if he keeps his volume level. Something changes in Percy’s expression, he pulls his hand away and Jason _knows_ that he said something wrong. Percy doesn’t meet Jason’s eyes, his brow drawn into a frown as his gaze sweeps over the windows of the restaurant.

 

“You’re right. I guess we wouldn’t.” There’s something off about the way he says it, but Jason can’t for the life of him figure out what it is. Clearly, Jason’s dislike for the paparazzi was not the answer Percy was looking for, but Jason doesn’t know what he could have possibly said instead either – without another obvious lie or outing his feelings.

 

Whatever mood they had before is ruined now. Percy doesn’t speak while they wait for their cab, so Jason doesn’t say anything either. When the waiter brings the check, Jason silently pays, adding on a tip that surely looks like he’s compensating for this date suddenly gone wrong.

**Author's Note:**

> do let me know what you think down below ♥


End file.
